1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to an apparatus for application of simulated eyebrows and, more particularly, to a stencil for enabling the correct shape and symmetrical application of the left and right simulated eyebrows.
2. Discussion
It has long been a practice of some women to simulate the appearance of eyebrows using an eyebrow pencil to paint the simulated eyebrows. Many eyebrow pencil users attempt to paint the eyebrow using the pencil in a freehand manner. Such application is problematic for several reasons. First, the user faces a mirror while using the eyebrow pencil to view the application of the painted eyebrow. Facing a mirror enables the user to view the application of the eyebrow, but the user typically must position their hands so that they are able to view the application of the eyebrow in the mirror. Such positioning may be less than desirable for enabling the user to apply aesthetically pleasing and symmetric eyebrows. Second, facing a mirror to apply the simulated eyebrow requires that the user adjust to applying the simulated eyebrow while viewing the mirror image of their face. Tracing the eyebrow in a mirror image often proves difficult because the user may move the eyebrow pencil in a direction opposite the desired direction because the user is viewing a mirror image. Third, it is difficult to obtain the desired shape and symmetry between the left and right eyebrows because the user must employ the eyebrow pencil ambidextrously using both the left and right hands or apply both eyebrows using the same hand. Using the eyebrow stencil with just one hand further increases the difficulty in obtaining symmetry between the left and right eyebrow because the user must reach across their body to apply one eyebrow. Thus, there is a desire to provide a device which overcomes the inherent disadvantages of using an eyebrow pencil to freehand draw symmetric, simulated eyebrows in a relatively easy manner.
Several methods and apparatuses have been developed in an attempt to facilitate the application of symmetric and shapely eyebrows. Examples of such methods and apparatuses may be found with respect to U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,190, Harzel; U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,631, Chuang; U.S. Pat. No. 718,145, Chateau; U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,805, Hamada; U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,821, Hurdel; U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,058, Ferrar; U.S. Pat. No. 2,628,626, Teillaud; U.S. Pat. No. 2,435,516, Samson; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,812,425, Wosse.
Several of the approaches discussed in the above-listed patents involve stencils, but suffer from one or both of the following disadvantages. First, some stencils fail to remain in place independently of the user holding the stencil with one hand while painting the eyebrow with the eyebrow pencil in the other hand. Such an arrangement makes application of the eyebrow relatively uncomfortable on the user. Second, some stencils fail to provide the user with a variety of eyebrow shapes and sizes to choose from. Third, the stencils which do provide the user with a choice in the selection of shapes and sizes of the simulated eyebrow are often not reusable and are relatively cumbersome to use.
Thus, there is a need for an eyebrow stencil which offers the user a variety in the size and/or shapes of the simulated eyebrows to choose from and is relatively easy to use.